Health and Wellness
How I Learned to Manage Impulsive and Intrusive Thoughts
Mental health advocate and contributor Monica Drake shares how she learned the difference between impulsive and intrusive thoughts -- and how they affect her mental health.
Overcoming Post-Vacation Blues
If getting back from a trip gives you the blues, here’s how to overcome post-vacation depression.
Advice for Coping with Holiday Blues
Contributor Monica Drake shares what you can do if the holidays aren’t feeling so joyful right now.
‘Alcohol is Not Your Friend:’ BCBSM Medical Director of Behavioral Health Digs into His Passion for Advocating Against Alcohol Abuse
Dr. William T. Beecroft has advocated against alcohol abuse for much of his 40-plus-year health care career. Here, he reflects and shares some candid thoughts.
Health Benefits of Wallyball
Looking for fun activities this winter? Stop your search at wallyball. Similar to volleyball, this fast-paced indoor sport has plenty of health benefits to offer.
3 Ways to Avoid Overeating During the Holidays
Holidays can mean overeating to the point of stretchy pants and undoing some waistband buttons. But they don’t have to.
8 Ways to Stop Holiday Stress Before It Starts
The holidays are as stressful as they are joyous. When it comes to shopping, traveling, decorating and family time, here are ways to mitigate the stress.
5 Everyday Ways to Live Healthier with Diabetes
Having diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t make choices for a healthier lifestyle.
Foods to Avoid with a UTI
Can the foods you eat make urinary tract infections worse?
Health Benefits of Using a Sauna
Superheated environments like saunas have physical and mental health benefits.
Detroit Native Builds ‘Slow AF Run Club’ Community to Bust Stereotypes
Detroit native Martinus Evans started running at 300 pounds 10 years ago, and has gone on to run eight marathons and founded a 25,000-member online running community called the “Slow AF Run Club.” The community is inclusive, and empowers people to run “in the body they have right now.”
Parents: The Flu Shot Is For You, Too
The more members of your family who receive the flu shot, the greater the effect the vaccine has on your household. Here's how you protecting yourself can actually help protect others.
How Change – Even Good Change – Affects My Anxiety
Contributor and mental health advocate Monica Drake writes about one of the biggest triggers for her anxiety -- change -- as she prepared to get married.
Best Workouts to Manage Stress
If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone. Here is how tweaking your exercise schedule can help you manage those feelings.
How Your Gut Health Affects Your Mental Health
How does your brain keep connected to your gut, and what does it mean for your mental health?
What I Learned By Shifting to a Different Mirror
integrative health expert, keynote speaker, radio personality, and business owner. She's a NASM Master Trainer, PAngela T. Moore explains the different types of workouts available and how you can decide which one is best for you.
Exercises for Joint Health
Want to keep moving well as you age? Remember to exercise your joints.
Fighting Breast Cancer With Food
Healthy eating cannot completely prevent every kind of disease and illness. However, a balanced diet featuring these five foods can help fight against breast cancer.
What are the Seven Principles of Mindfulness?
Taking time to clear your mind of thoughts, judgments and opinions can help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. This practice is known as mindfulness.
The Benefits of Starting Your Child’s Yoga Practice
While it’s often thought of as an adult wellness activity, kids can realize the same health benefits by discovering their inner “yogi.” Why not start them early?
What is Intuitive Eating?
When you eat intuitively, you listen to your body. You trust it to let you know when you are full and satisfied. You also reject the new fad diet of the month. Here are the benefits and risks.
How Does Alcohol Affect My Sleep?
Booze before bed may seem like an OK way to help you doze off quickly. But the tradeoff is usually fragmented sleep, wakefulness and a very groggy day after.
This Suicide Prevention Month, I Remember.
Contributor and mental health advocate Monica Drake writes about what Suicide Prevention Month means to her and why.
Preventing Falls at Home: Ways to Reduce the Risk for Seniors
Understanding why seniors are at risk of falling can help individuals, caregivers, friends and families prevent them from happening in the first place.
The Flu Shot: Still Your Best Bet
It’s easy to assume that if you didn’t get the flu shot last year and didn’t get sick, there’s no need to get one this year. But that's one of a few common misconceptions surrounding the flu shot. We address those here.
How I Stay Healthy in College
School is back and so is the juggling act that comes with life on campus for college students. BCBSM'S 2023 corporate communications interns recently shared their diet, exercise and self-care regimens.
Introducing Our New Look on A Healthier Michigan
Welcome to A Healthier Michigan! We’ve got a fresh new look and new design features that are ready to help everyone in Michigan get healthier – from the inside out.
Top 5 Red Flags in Friendships
Recognizing and addressing the red flags in a friendship can be crucial to your mental and physical well-being. Start an open dialogue with your friend if you encounter these five red flags.
Are These Social Trends Harming Your Skin?
Can beef tallow really help improve your skin? Does a jade roller really give you a glow? To help separate skincare fact from fiction, we’ll uncover if these trending hacks actually work.
Benefits of Starting a Garden
If you’re discovering gardening for the first time, you might be surprised to find out there are quite a few benefits to getting your hands in the dirt.
What Are Tiny Traumas?
Relationship issues, family drama and a tight budget all are things that can add up to tiny traumas.
TikTok Sleep Trends – Do They Actually Work?
Did you know 1 in 3 U.S. adults aren't getting enough sleep? so we decided to search social media for sleep hacks and ask a doctor if they're worth trying.
How to Reset Your Health This New Year
In the New Year, it seems like we’re so focused on diet and exercise. However, there are other aspects of our health we could focus on. Find out more here.
Why You Should Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
While it’s healthy for us to establish a comfort zone, getting out of it can be good for us as well. So how can we get comfortable with being uncomfortable?
Creative Ways to Get Your Workout In
Want to burn calories and pile up steps without going to the gym? Give these couch workouts and walking tips a try.
Why Men Have Shorter Lifespans Than Women
The average male life expectancy is five years less than females. What factors contribute to this and what can men do to expand their longevity? Find out here.
How to Quiet Your Mind Before Bed
At some point we've found ourselves unable to fall asleep at night because of racing thoughts. in this episode, we explore what can do quiet our minds.
How Your Living Space Affects Your Well-Being
Can our living space really have a direct impact on our well-being? Hear what you can do to make small changes to your space to improve your well-being.
How Does Stress Impact Our Heart Health?
Stress is a common part of life. But what happens if we experience elevated levels of stress on a consistent basis? Could it be harmful to our heart health?
Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Cervical Health
The next time you talk to your doctor, don’t forget to ask questions about cervical health, and factors that might put you at risk for cancer.
How to Maintain Good Immunity This Winter
Let’s face it – no one enjoys feeling tired, run down or sick. So what can we do to maintain good immunity and protect ourselves this winter season?
How to Be Mindful During the Holidays
The holidays can be a time of joy and excitement, but they can also very easily become stressful. Listen to how mindfulness can help relieve holiday stress.
Why You Shouldn’t Solely Focus on Weight Loss for Good Health
When looking to get healthy, we may associate weight loss with the gold standard for success when it comes to being healthy, but there's more to it than that.
How to Improve Your Health with Technology
With constant advancements in technology, our options for self-care have increased tremendously. So how do we take advantage of this tech to improve our health?
What You Need to Know About Colonoscopies
We know once we reach a certain age, it's recommended we get a colonoscopy - but why? here, uncover everything you need to know about colonoscopies.
How to Get Organized and Feel Better About Your Space
For some, staying organized is an ongoing battle and it fills us with stress and anxiety. But maybe we just haven't found an organizing style that works for us.
Laughter – What is It Doing for Our Health?
We've all heard that laughter is the best medicine, but what it doing for our health? find out how benefits us both mentally and physically.
Is Blue Light Bad for Our Eyes?
On average, we spend three hours and 43 minutes on our phone per day. It's clear screen time has increased, but what is it doing to our eyes? find out here.
How Housing Instability Affects Our Health
Each night, more than 8,300 Michiganders face the possibility of not having a place to go home. Find out how this can cause a cascading effect on one's health.
The Importance of Making Time for Self-Reflection
Aristotle said, "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." Looking within is part of personal growth. Discover how to make the most of self-reflection.
How Vaping Affects Your Health
In recent years, vaping has exploded in popularity. It's been touted as a safer form of smoking. but without much evidence, is it really than cigarettes?
How Daylight Savings Affects Our Sleep
The time change is something we experience every year, but it doesn't change the fact that it can disrupt our sleep cycle. here's how to adjust shift.
How to Build Resilience
Life brings new challenges at every turn. No matter the obstacle, building resilience in the face of adversity can be powerful for our emotional well-being.
Myths and Misconceptions About Immunization
Understanding immunization can be information overload - both good and bad - causing us to wonder if we should or shouldn't get vaccinated. we unpack that here.
Well-Being for Moms
Motherhood can be a demanding experience. Here are some tips on how busy moms can improve and maintain their well-being.
Ways to Improve Financial Well-Being
Take control of your finances with these simple money management tips.
Finding Balance in Life
Stress is something we carry with us whether it's coming home or going to work. on this episode, we discuss how can find balance in life through resilience.
Wellness Tips for the Workplace
Workplace well-being can positively impact productivity and reduce health care costs when implemented correctly. Listen to our wellness tips for the workplace.
Importance and Health Benefits of Social Interaction
Hanging with friends can equal more than just a good time. Discover the many health benefits of social interaction on A Healthier Michigan Podcast.
Benefits of Journaling and The Positive Impact on Your Health
Rewiring our brain to be positive can help us clear our emotions of negativity. On this episode, we discuss gratitude and the health benefits of journaling.
What Does Physical Well-being Mean?
The key to physical well-being is physical activity, good nutrition and practicing mindfulness. Listen for more tips on how to achieve physical well-being.
The Dimensions of Wellness, and What is Well-being?
Emotional, psychological and social well-being play important roles in our overall health. We explore the dimensions of wellness and explain well-being.
Fact vs. fiction: The truth about immunization safety
The New Year brings with it many things. For parents, that may include thinking about all the doctor’s appointments you may need to make for your kids this year.